Results 2,561-2,580 of 3,644 for speaker:Mark Ward

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Youth Services (25 May 2023)

Mark Ward: 13. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to extend youth diversion projects to under-25s; when such an extension could be made; the estimated number of young people who could be diverted from the judicial system as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24770/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Youth Services (25 May 2023)

Mark Ward: What plans are in place to extend youth diversion programmes to the under-25s? When could such an extension be made? What is the estimated number of young people who could be diverted from the judicial system as a result? May I have a statement on the matter?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Youth Services (25 May 2023)

Mark Ward: I welcome the discussion paper that was published at the one-day conference on youth justice held in Croke Park. I have already suggested that the diversion programmes should be for young people up to the age of 25. The idea behind that is to divert those who have committed minor offences - and I stress minor offences; it has to be stressed - from the judicial system. Their rehabilitation...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Youth Services (25 May 2023)

Mark Ward: I agree with the Minister of State. We are on the same page on this one. In order for this to work, we have to resource our communities and put in place the proper resources in our communities to allow them to build resilience to crime, to build up youth diversion projects, as the Minister of State mentioned, and to build up addiction services. Some of the areas I represent are crying out...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 May 2023)

Mark Ward: At yesterday's meeting of the health committee, the new CEO of the HSE, Mr. Bernard Gloster, said to me in response to a question that we have serious questions to ask about whether we should continue to maintain more than 70 partially staffed child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, teams or whether we should reduce the number to 55 or 50 full teams. I submitted a couple of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE National Service Plan 2023: Discussion (24 May 2023)

Mark Ward: I welcome Mr. Gloster and his team and wish him the very best in his role. I engaged with him at the Oireachtas committee on children in his previous role and I think we will get unison among those in all parties and none that we wish him all the best in this role, given it is a very important issue. My first question is in regard to the neurorehabilitation teams. It is an area in which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE National Service Plan 2023: Discussion (24 May 2023)

Mark Ward: Can the recruitment and the governance issue be resolved in parallel?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE National Service Plan 2023: Discussion (24 May 2023)

Mark Ward: Thank you. I want to move on to another area in which I have a big interest, that of mental health. One aspect is the area of early intervention in psychosis. I was very disappointed to receive a reply to a parliamentary question during the week stating there is no new funding for early intervention in psychosis team development in 2023. I wonder what impact that is going to have on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE National Service Plan 2023: Discussion (24 May 2023)

Mark Ward: I get that but from the information I have, we are talking about an average investment of €408,000 per year in early intervention into psychosis. I am asking whether not having that €408,000 this year will have an impact? It does not seem a hell of a lot of money in the full budget of the HSE.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE National Service Plan 2023: Discussion (24 May 2023)

Mark Ward: I want to move on to eating disorders. Another response I received from the HSE to a parliamentary question said there is no additional funding for eating disorders in the National Service Plan 2023. I find this to be absolutely horrendous. We heard all the way through the Covid-19 pandemic about its impact on people who have eating disorders. Eating disorders have the highest mortality...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE National Service Plan 2023: Discussion (24 May 2023)

Mark Ward: Was there any rationale as to why no funding was allocated in 2023? The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has stated during debates in the Chamber that eating disorders is one of her key priorities and we come here and get the information from the HSE that there is no new funding.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE National Service Plan 2023: Discussion (24 May 2023)

Mark Ward: I have a last point to make regarding CAMHS. I am paraphrasing Mr. Gloster regarding the Minister saying that we need to move away from CAMHS. It is all well and good and easy to say but at the moment 4,490 children or young people are waiting for a first-time appointment with CAMHS. Some 752 of these children are waiting for more than a year for appointment. It was mentioned that 95%...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (18 May 2023)

Mark Ward: 175. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to confirm the publication date for the Implementation Plan of the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23539/23]

Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Bill 2023: Second Stage (31 May 2023)

Mark Ward: I thank the Minister of State. We welcome this Bill and are supportive of it, although there are some issues that we would have with the Bill which I will touch on later in my contribution. The children in our communities deserve to be protected from criminality and kept safe in order that they can have a better future. We cannot allow the criminal gangs to continue to be such a scourge on...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services (1 Jun 2023)

Mark Ward: 5. To ask the Minister for Health if he plans to reduce the number of child and adolescent mental health service, CAMHS, teams from more than 70 to 50, as suggested by the chief executive officer of the Health Service Executive at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health on the 24 May 2023; if he can guarantee this will lead to better outcomes for young people; and if he will...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services (1 Jun 2023)

Mark Ward: During the meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health of 24 May, Mr. Bernard Gloster, CEO of the HSE, stated in reply to me that the HSE had "a serious question to ask as to whether we continue to maintain more than 70 partially staffed [CAMHS] teams or reduce them to 55 or 50 full teams". Are there plans to reduce the number of child and adolescent mental health service teams from...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services (1 Jun 2023)

Mark Ward: I accept that, but we are getting mixed messages. For example, when Mr. Gloster said what he said at the health committee meeting, that was the first I had heard of it, although I had heard inklings on the grapevine. The Minister of State now indicated that the number of CAMHS teams might be reduced from 74 and that parents might be asked to drive a little further to get a full service but...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services (1 Jun 2023)

Mark Ward: The Minister of State rightly mentioned the increase in the number of CAMHS referrals, which amounted to more than 300,000 in the past year, according to what she told me the previous time we spoke. I want to put on record the good work CAMHS staff are doing, despite the challenges, to provide all these appointments. Even so, the number of children who are awaiting their first appointment...